The hanging tree
by trashace
Summary: In the midst of the Uchiha massacre, Itachi changes his plans. He cannot bear to be the downfall of his precious little brother, and thus takes things into his own hands. But how long can the sheltered Sasuke hide from the fate Itachi has sealed for them? What is his brother's mysterious organization, and who is the child from the village? [AU. Minor Itasasu. Narusasu. ]
1. Prologue

A small child walks the barren streets, quietly humming to himself. He wonders what his mother is cooking for dinner tonight, and if his brother will actually be home to eat with them- probably not. He wonders if his father will start smiling again, also why he stopped in the first place.

For some reason, the road seems too quiet. Every streetlight is colored only blank, void of any kind of light. There are no sounds of laughter from inside the houses, or even a sign of a person around. Sasuke looks around, while clutching the kunai in his pocket protectively. There is no smoke coming from the chimneys either.

If there were any bad guys around, he would take care of them. Maybe that was why everyone had the lights out; they were hiding from rouge ninjas. His grip tightens even more, and his face scrunches into a frown. That had to be the reason why no one was around. It wasn't a holiday, was it?

The silence isn't the sort of peaceful one he tends to enjoy. It's scary.

"Mom? Dad?" His soft voice calls out into the array of empty houses. No one responds to his calls. As Sasuke's feet tread along the familiar worn path, he tried to think of something that can ease his fear. His mother tucking him into bed at night, Itachi coming to his side when he had a nightmare, his father praising him for a good grade.

The walk seems so much longer than usual, even with lack of people running around the district. He rounds the corner to arrive at his home, when he hears a rustling sound in a nearby bush. Terrified with fright, he freezes up, while getting a weird sensation. It starts in his stomach and fills him with dread to the very core. Sasuke isn't even aware that his legs are trembling in fright.

He knows he can't act like this, what would mother say about her brave little son being a coward? Whatever is nearby is shaking around in the bushes again, worsening his fear. In a panic, he tries to remember those things that calm him again.

_Mom._

_Dad._

_Itachi._

"Brother!" A weak voice cries out, and Sasuke spins around to face Itachi, who is stumbling out from the woods with a rather bad limp. The sight is enough to send icy chills up his back, and by now his heart is going a mile a minute.

"What.. What happened 'tachi! Where's mom and dad?" The smaller boy rushes to his brother's side, and wraps an arm around his shoulder to support him. Besides his leg, Sasuke can see no wounds on Itachi. However, he's drenched in scarlet blood. The liquid is oozing and dripping from his long hair and clothes, giving off a morbid glimmer in the moonlight.

"A very powerful group of enemies infiltrated the village a few hours ago. They were here to get revenge on the Uchiha for our past crimes, I suppose. I'm not sure what their intentions were, but they came here quick. When I returned from town, everyone was gone- including mother and father. I'm so sorry Sasuke."

The first thought Sasuke has, is that he has an uncontrollable urge to vomit. Tears are already begging to pool in the corners of his previously hopeful eyes. Pain sears through his body, but it's the kind of pain you can't fix at a hospital. It's the kind of pain that aches and tears you apart in a matter of seconds. He doesn't want to believe it, no, no, he can't believe it. They're not dead. They're not dead.

"You're lying! They're alive!" Sasuke screeches, letting go of Itachi to try and dash into the house. Oh god, how he hurts. He wants to sob and scream, and maybe a little bit of both. But he is stopped by a strong arm, grabbing hold of his waist.

"I cannot let you do that. The sight in there is something your eyes are unable handle yet." He has a vice grip on Sasuke, holding his flailing body against him tightly. His foolish little brother won't stop squirming, trying to break free and prove him a liar. Denial is always the first stage of grief.

"They're not dead, don't say that they are because they're not!" Now, Sasuke's words are being to jumble up. His lip begins to tremble, and the tears come like a waterfall. Itachi doesn't tell him to stop, or to dry his tears either. He allows his little brother to let his sorrow out. There's a kunai in Itachi's back pocket, but he can't bear to use it now. He will wait until the opportunity arises. Itachi lets go of him.

When he looks down at his small and fragile brother, the murky black irises have turned to crimson red, dashed with tiny swirls. The agony he feels now was enough to trigger his sharingan early. Sasuke's soft crying turns to wracking sobs, and he falls to his knees, feeling utterly hopeless. Seeing this makes Itachi's guilt boil up inside him, like a kettle about to burst. His heart strings have already been tugged, and he is filled with the regret of his previous decisions.

How could he kill someone so young, with an entire life ahead of him? It would be like ripping the wings off of a butterfly as soon as it learns to spread them. Sasuke does not know of war, he does not know how cruel the world really is. Tonight, his innocence has been tainted. He's been robbed of his childhood and his parents in one night, and Itachi can't bear to steal his life away as well.

His hand stays stiff at his side, and Itachi knows he won't be using the appendage to carry out his duty anytime soon. Instead, he kneels down beside his precious baby brother, and his calloused hand slowly rubs up and down his back, trying to calm him down somewhat.

"W-Why are you so-" Sasuke pauses to let out a whimper, "bloody?"

"I found them when I came home. I tried my hardest to save them, but it was far too late." His words are well rehearsed, and his voice is dripping with the same sort of agony that mirrors Sasuke's. Oh, how vile and retched he feels.

"And y-your leg?" As usual, Sasuke was observant of everything. Even between sobs, he is worried about Itachi's sake. It's too good for someone like Itachi. He doesn't deserve the pity.

"I tried to chase after the enemy, but they had left a few traps, and I'm afraid I may have sprained my ankle." Itachi had ignored the pain for the most part, yet his ankle was puffy and swollen, making it difficult to walk. That would be a bother, until he found the time to heal it.

Right on cue, Sasuke looks down and flinches. He sniffs pathetically and allows a few more tears to fall, while he gazes down at Itachi's injury. By now, his head was throbbing due to the sharingan, and it was hard not to pass out from pure shock alone. He was alone now. No more mom and dad. No more goodnight kisses before he went to bed, and no more packed lunches in the morning. No more of his mother's voice as she sang to him when he was down.

His life had been turned upside down in a matter of minutes.

"Sasuke.. we need to leave soon. I know you're upset, and I am too. My priority at the moment is keeping you safe, I couldn't live with myself if I let this happen to you as well." Itachi slowly rises from the ground, and takes one last look at the place he'll no longer call home. Sasuke slowly wipes at his tear stained face, and tries to stand up, only to fall right back in the dirt.

His legs feel like jello, probably due to the sharingan and his current emotions. The stench of blood is only making matters worse, causing him to feel dizzy and disoriented as if he were under a genjustsu. Itachi's words are still echoing in his mind.

_"Everyone's gone- including mother and father."_

_"Everyone's gone- including mother and father."_

_"Everyone's gone-"_

Sasuke's vision turns into a mess of red and black, and that is the last thing he remembers.

* * *

"So you've carried out the massacre, as planned?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well done, Itachi. I knew the village could count on you. You have earned much more than our loyalty. Is there anything you desire from me, anything at all?"

"My only request, is that the truth is hidden from Sasuke. I will raise him myself, and I will shield him from a destiny he does not deserve. One little secret will not affect him, if we never speak of this to anyone. He has no right to suffer."

"Oh? Are you certain about this Itachi? He won't be able to attend the academy any longer if you choose to hide him from the village. It would be a shame to waste so much potential. In addition, he is likely to find out the outcome in due time."

"It will not matter, if I can protect him for a few short years. I will continue to serve the village, as promised, but I want Sasuke to live with me. We'll relocate to the outskirts of town, and I'll make sure we're hidden well."

"What will you tell him about the death of an entire clan? Will he believe a half-willed excuse such as yours?"

"Don't worry, I am prepared. His sharingan has awakened, I can't leave him here much longer. Do you agree to keep the villagers away, and allow me to bring him up?"

"You are treading dangerous waters. If he finds out the truth, he will not hesitate to kill you when he is older. Are you prepared to face the consequences?"

"I am."

"Very well, I expect to see you soon."

Itachi left the Third Hokage's office, with a heavy burden lifted from upon his shoulders. One dirty little secret wouldn't harm a thing.

* * *

_**Author's Note: I got this idea in the middle of the night and decided to write it. I was super curious as to what Naruto would be like if the whole massacre situation was different, and voila this story was born. Reviews make my day~**_


	2. Restart

Inside the forests of Konoha village, there is a small house nestled in between a cluster of trees and thick weeds. The house is quite small, nothing more than a simple cottage with a few rooms. The walls have been painted a dark color, but the paint is slowly chipping off the outside of the small home, giving it an older appearance. There's a small chimney perched at the top of the tiny house, yet there is never any smoke blowing out of it.

All of the grass surrounding the house has grown unbearably long, nearly reaching up to the dirty windows. No one could ever see inside the house, because the curtains were always shut tight to cover up the windows. Of course, no one had ever came to that particular corner of the forrest before. People in the village were warned that if they dare ventured into that part of the woods, a monster would come out and attack them.

Not just any monster, a beast that the Hokage himself could not defeat. Naturally, that kept everyone out, even the most powerful jounin. It seemed the entire world was obvious to the fact that a boy and his brother called this place home sweet home. Said boy was awakened on this particular morning by Itachi jabbing him in the forehead- typical. Sasuke let out a soft groan and pulled the blankets back over his face, trying to give Itachi a signal to go away and let him sleep for once.

"Sasuke, I'm going out. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone this time, but I've left you well prepared. I know it might seem tiring to sit in the house and be idle, but I forbid you from going outside while I'm absent. It's just too dangerous, so you'll have to make do and train inside." Since Sasuke was still in his sleepy haze, he barely registered his brother's words. Itachi was leaving? Nothing new. Ever since Sasuke was only nine year old, he'd joined some kind of group.

Sasuke had no idea what went on in this group, but he assumed they were trying to find his parent's killer, so he didn't mind if Itachi left from time to time. Perhaps they were just wandering nin too, and Itachi joined them to try and relieve the days when he was a real ninja. Whatever it was, Sasuke knew better than to get involved. Itachi would be upset with him for prodding in his business.

"Hmph. Another one of your 'missions'?" Sasuke muttered, burying his face into his pillow.

"Doing these missions keeps us alive, and you know that. Without Akatsuki, we'd be without food or shelter." Itachi sounds stern and harsh, and it's enough to make Sasuke stiffen a bit. He knows he shouldn't make assumptions about these people, but they've taken his brother from him. Itachi is always going somewhere on another mission, and he has no clue what kind of missions they are either.

"Whatever." Sasuke's crude reply earns him nothing but an apologetic smile. Itachi leaves his room, and shuts the door gently behind him. That wouldn't do any good now, because his younger brother was wide awake. Maybe today he'd finally catch a glimpse of one of those Akatsuki guys, if he was quick enough. Sasuke hurriedly threw the blankets off himself and walked over towards the door, slowly turning the knob. He was sure Itachi had already went outside, so his partner had to out there too.

Tiptoeing across the creaking floorboards, Sasuke couldn't help but feel just a little bit of excitement. Would today be the day he'd finally see this guy? Whenever he reached the living room, he peeled back the curtains and tried to peer outside, only to find that they had already departed. The only clue he had about the Akatsuki itself was that they all wore the black cloaks matching the ones his brother donned whenever he left the house. Plus, they were some of the most powerful shinobi to exist. Perhaps even stronger than any of the Kage's from the hidden villages.

Whatever they were up to, it was extremely rough and dangerous- Sasuke knew that much. Over the years, he'd picked up a knack for medical Justus. The reason why? Because his brother would often come home with terrible injuries, and always instructed Sasuke not to take him to any hospital. So he was somewhat of a medic now, but still specialized in his clan's fire techniques. Recently, he'd also been beginning to learn some lightning abilities, but hadn't gotten much more than a few sparks.

Faced with disappointment, Sasuke shut the curtains and flopped down onto the couch and silently wondered what Itachi's partner was like. Was he brave and courageous? Did he try to help Itachi find their parent's killer? What did he look like? Was he soft spoken and kind? Or sharp tongued like Sasuke? So many questions, yet no prospect of answers for any of them anytime soon. His eyes drifted up to the clock, which read 10:15. Barely 10 minutes since Itachi had left.

Sasuke had a feeling that today would be a LONG day. The urge to do something productive swept over him, and he figured now would be as good of a time as any to do something he loathed- cleaning the house. It was such a mundane and dull task, but it had to be done. It gave him something to pass the time, at least. Sasuke scrubbed the floors till they shone. He finished a sink full of dishes in record time, while making breakfast for himself. Every single nook and cranny of the house was dusted until it was spotless. Each bed was perfectly made, and the pillows were fluffed.

The toilet and shower were scrubbed and cleaned, much to his disgust. All of their clothes were folded, and Sasuke washed Itachi's clothes while he was at it. All that was left for him to do was hang the laundry outside, but Itachi had told him not to go out there, no matter what. His gaze drifted to the covered windows, but he quickly shook those thoughts off. Disobeying Itachi was like asking for a death sentence, and he'd do more than yell at him for going out there without his supervision. Honestly, Sasuke found it a bit annoying. He was 13 already, shouldn't he be allowed just a tiny bit of freedom?

He'd never left the thick forrest surrounding their tiny home, and had never been to any kind of village since they'd moved here. When he was younger, he longed to be an official shinobi, and waited for the day that he could finally receive a headband. When he told his brother about these foolish dreams, Itachi had just smiled and patted him on the head, while telling him they'd train more often when he got the time. Deep down, he craved something he couldn't receive while locked up in here. It wasn't happiness, because he didn't feel truly satisfied even when he was outside training or taking walks.

He had plenty of books to read, and plenty of new techniques to learn as well. There was an infinite amount of time to train, even if his abilities had to be watered down while he was indoors. It wasn't even the closure he'd get from knowing who killed his parents. No, this was something impossible. What Sasuke wanted the most, was a friend. Sure, Itachi was his friend. They had a sort of brotherly bond that couldn't be unmatched, and they'd always be there for each other. Itachi had sacrificed so much to keep them safe, and Sasuke couldn't deny that. But he still seeked a different kind of bond. He wanted a real friend, someone his age who could understand him and provide him with the sort of bond he'd never had.

As morbid as it sounded, he wanted someone who knew his pain.

Someone who knew how much he'd suffered due to his parent's death. Back when they still lived in Konoha, no one really talked to him. They all thought he was another Uchiha brat, who would grow up to be a monster like the rest of his clan. The other schoolchildren (with the exception of a few girls) refused to associate with Sasuke. At that time, he was fine with it. Who needed scum like those people? Now, he was just lonely. He'd never admit that though, not even to Itachi. He hated expressing his feelings, or more specifically, feelings in general. He let out a soft sigh, and walked over to the bookshelf that sat in the corner of the living room.

If there was one thing that would take Sasuke's troubles off his mind, it was books. As a child, he'd hated reading. He found it dull and tedious, but his tune had changed whenever he'd found himself with much more free time. Everytime Itachi would bring home a new book he'd devour it in an instant. It didn't even matter what kind of book it was, Sasuke would read it cover to cover regardless. Naturally, his favorites were the training books. He'd learned all kinds of new Justus and skills, all thanks to his reading. When Itachi couldn't train, Sasuke would hit the books and learn the techniques himself. He was nothing short of a bookworm.

Sometimes he enjoyed reading other things too, made up stories and legends. One of his favorite stories was about a pair of rivals, who'd chased each other to the ends of the earth before they'd realized how strong their bond was. Sasuke loved that story, no matter how sappy it was. He'd hidden the book under his bed several years earlier, and had told his brother that it had disappeared, and that he didn't like those stories with gross love story endings anyway. To this day, he still enjoyed reading that book. It was almost a secret of sorts, which made him excited.

Sasuke had never gotten a chance to have any secrets of his own. Amidst the sea of drab and dull covers, his eyes searched for something new. He scanned the shelves again, looking for a fresh read. Most of these books had already fallen into his hands, even the more mature ones. Every single title seemed familiar, until he saw an orange book sitting on the bottom shelf. Out of curiosity, he reached down to pick it up, and frowned at the title.

"Jinchuriki and their history.. Huh." Sasuke had never seen this book before, and despite the flashy orange cover, he decided to give it a try. He sat down on the couch and curled up with his book, ready to devour it. He read the first chapter, and decided to continue on. There were so many different Jinchuriki, he couldn't even imagine how many people had beared that burden. Sasuke wondered if he'd ever meet one.

Apparently, there were many of them, and all of them were scattered across the country. This book was old though, so it didn't tell of the more recent ones. The only name that caught his eye was a Kushina Uzumaki. For some reason, he recognized that name somewhere, but didn't really remember it. He pressed on and tried to finish the chapter, but the warm summer heat started to make him drowsy.

Soon enough, the book fell to the floor, and Sasuke had fallen fast asleep.

* * *

_A hand reached out to him. Sasuke had no idea who the hand belonged to, but it was significantly tanner than his own. A strange sort of orange aura surrounded it, and it made him hesitant to touch._

_"Cmon, I don't bite." Suddenly, the person spoke. Sasuke looked up in surprise to see someone staring down at him. A boy who was just a little bit taller than him, had hair the color of sunshine, and had the most mesmerizing pair of turquoise eyes. What really caught his attention, were the three whisker marks on each side of his face._

_"Who are you?" Sasuke asked, not really knowing what to make of this stranger. This person seemed familiar, but was so foreign to him at the same time. Just seeing this face gave him a weird sense of nostalgia._

_"Your friend. I've come to save you," The boy said cheerfully. What was he saving him from? Sasuke had already narrowly escaped death once when his parents perished, but he'd been in no danger since then._

_"Save me? What the hell are you talking about?" Despite Sasuke's attitude, the boy still smiled. He wondered why this person smiled so much._

_"From your loneliness, ya know? I know how much you've been hurting, sitting here all alone all day. Come on Sasuke, and we'll have lots of fun. Just come back home to me, and the rest of the team." What team? This was making less and less sense, and Sasuke was as confused as ever._

_"I have no idea what you're talking about, and why should I go with you anyway? For the record, I won't." Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest, and didn't take the hand that reached out for his own. He was being stubborn, and he knew it. He just didn't trust this stranger, even if his smile was like seeing sunshine itself._

_"That's okay. We'll see each other again someday, that's a promise of a lifetime! I'll bring you back for sure!" After the boy spoke, he began to walk off into the distance._

_"Wait!" Sasuke called, but it was too late._

* * *

Sasuke awoke in a cold sweat, with his heart hammering in his chest. He clutched at the side of the couch, and then touched his face just to make sure it had all been a dream. What shocked him the most was how bad it had startled him, yet intrigued him at the same time. Had that been a good dream, or just a nightmare?


	3. Reconnect

The week slowly ticked by, much to Sasuke's dismay. Days passed, and Itachi didn't return. As a matter of fact, Sasuke had no idea how long he was supposed to be gone. It could be days, or it could be weeks. He'd just have to wait it out, but he didn't want to wait it out. He didn't want to gamble with what could happen to Itachi. What if his brother got injured, or something worse? He'd have no way of knowing.

However, their bond relied solely on trust. Sasuke had to trust Itachi. He fully believed that his brother spent his dreary days hoping to find their parent's killer, and find reason for their existence. Sasuke had always been extremely naive in that regard, because he entrusted Itachi with his goals and entire sense of well-being. He'd just never known otherwise.

Which lead him to his usual habit of staring at the windows, waiting for something to happen. It had rained the previous night, so the woods were coated in drops of slick dew. Sasuke was always fascinated with storms, and they gave him something new he didn't get from his usual routine. A mass of black feathers perched on the weathered limb of a nearby tree, and he recognized it immediately as a crow. Crows seemed to flock their home, for reasons unknown.

Yet, all he could do was stare from his smothering shelters and admire the bird. Itachi had always warned him that crows were a sign of misfortune and bringers of bad news. That didn't stop him from being fascinated with them though. There was something about that certain bird that drew him in. Oh well, consider it his own morbid curiosity. A silly bird wouldn't hurt anyone.

The crow stood stiff on it's perch, until a sudden noise startled it and it darted into the sky like a bullet. In a split second, it was gone. Sasuke silently wondered what could've scared it off. There weren't many wild animals around here, as far as he knew. He stood up and went into the kitchen, ignoring the incident for now.

The moment he took a step into the small kitchen, he heard a bloodcurdling screech, and a feminine one at that. What was a woman doing out here in the middle of the woods? He froze in place, debating on how to act. He could ignore it for now, and pretend it had never happened, but his curiosity was also taking him over.

It had been ages since Sasuke had met another person, yet alone a girl. When he was younger he'd found them to be annoying, and had stuck by that principle since then. Girls just never seemed to cross his mind. He sighed deeply, and began to slowly tiptoe into his bedroom. He crouched down and peered under the bed, retrieving a kunai from its hiding spot.

Was he really going to do this? Was going outside truly as bad as Itachi made it out to be? But he'd always trusted Itachi, and had no doubt in his mind that his brother's concerns about the outside world were sound. However, Sasuke knew that this was different. If he were a true shinobi, he'd do something in a situation like this. Sitting idle would only be a waste.

He's extremely hesitant when he leaves the bedroom, and his hand lingers above the doorknob as if it will burn him. Not only does it make him anxious, but also a tad bit excited. It feels forbidden, and that sends a wave of adrenaline coursing through his body. He's never disobeyed, but it gives him the sort of rush he lacks.

Taking a deep breath, Sasuke swings open the door to reveal the miles and miles of forest. The air is much cleaner and fresh smelling than what he's used to, and the endless amount of trees and the leaves falling from them is a nice change than the drab atmosphere of the house. It isn't like he's never been outside since they came here, Itachi just hardly ever allows it.

Going outside is something that only happens every once in a blue moon, and it's only to train, nothing more. He isn't sure where to look, because the scream seemed so far off, but he treads straightforward out of instinct. The leaves crunch underneath his shoes, and every time he hears the noise, it makes him want to jump out of anxiousness. Fear wasn't something a shinobi should feel, but he just can't help it.

It seems like he's been walking for a good while now, yet he doesn't hear anymore screams. Everything he walks past seems to be the exact same, making him feel like he's getting lost. Every tree, every flower, and every patch of moss looks the exact same as the previous one. He considers turning around, now realizing just how foolish this whole thing was.

Sure, he's excited, but what if he does get lost? What if there's a crazy murderer out here? What if he was just hearing things? The what ifs cloud his mind, and Sasuke keeps going while trying to ignore them. Whenever he gets far enough, he begins to hear voices, and they make no effort to be quiet like he is.

"Damnit Sakura, why'd ya scream so loud?"

"Because, you've managed to get us lost in the middle of nowhere! We're miles away from the village now, and there probably isn't anything but plants out here! Good job, idiot!"

Feeling even more intrigued than before, Sasuke takes a few steps forward and ducks behind a nearby tree when he sees that they're closer than he thinks. Both of them look no older or younger than he is, and judging by their headbands they've wandered out here from Konoha.

The girl is rather tall, with long pink hair that reaches down to her girly shaped waist. He can tell that she's made an effort to keep it perfectly straightened and styled, because it glistens in the sunlight and is tucked in neatly beneath her headband. Her hair seems to be her only attractive feature though, because her forehead is huge and her face is crinkled into an ugly scowl. She doesn't even appear to be that good of a ninja, considering she keeps her hair long and wears a skintight dress.

When his eyes drift to the boy, Sasuke isn't quite sure what to think of him. His hair's a mess, his clothes are a mess- everything about him seems to give off an unkept vibe. The thing that strikes him as truly odd isn't even his orange clothes, it's the three whiskers he has on each side of his face. He's never seen anyone with such weird marks on their face before. Yet, the strange boy seems much more upbeat and cheerful than the girl. Almost as sunshine-like as his yellow hair.

"Hush, Naruto! I think I heard a noise." The girl named Sakura hisses, and she draws a blade from the pouch thats strapped to her side. The boy quickly shuts up and glances around the woods for intruders. Naruto.. Sasuke isn't sure what to think about his name either. An ingredient for ramen? Well, at least his name suited him more than Sakura's. She had no resemblance to the otherwise beautiful flower.

"What do ya want me to do about it?" Naruto asks, shrugging his shoulders. It's obvious he's way more laid back about the situation, from what Sasuke can tell from his hiding spot.

"Why don't we split up and check it out? I'll go east, and you can head south. We'll meet up again here in a few minutes, if there's no threat. Here, I'll mark this tree so we don't get lost." Sakura drags her kunai against the bark of the tree, and then darts off in the opposite direction before Naruto can even protest. They don't have very good teamwork skills, it seems.

"She's always doing this crap.. Leaving me behind, or ditching me cause I'm annoying her or something." Naruto mumbles to himself, crossing his arms over his chest. In all honesty, Sasuke finds both of them to be annoying. He isn't sure if he should approach or not, and he really doesn't want to get involved with someone from the village. What if they came back someday? What if Itachi focus out?

Sasuke shuffles slightly from behind the tree, and a stray leaf crinkles under his shoe. He's been found out. He waits for a reaction, which comes as a glance his way. Those turquoise eyes seem to stare right through him, and he stand as stiff as a statue. Surely Naruto hasn't seen him yet?

"Who's there?" Naruto calls out. "You can come out, I won't hurt ya unless you're bad, I swear!" That doesn't reassure him much, but Sasuke steps out from behind the tree, ignoring how bad of a decision he's just made. He hopes he won't regret this in the future, but this kid doesn't seem like a threat. He'd end up finding Sasuke eventually anyway, so this was better than being a coward. Or at least, he thought so at the time. Not to mention, Naruto seems like he wouldn't hurt a fly.

Naruto's eyes widen as he looks Sasuke over. Sasuke has no idea what he's so fascinated about, and the two can't seem to do much more than stare each other down and gape. He assumes Naruto was expecting someone older, someone more menacing.

"You.. I feel like I know you or something," Naruto says, continuing to stare at him. He has an expression of deep thought, like he's wracking his brain for any nonexistent memory of the Uchiha. Sasuke has never met this kid in his entire life, and he's sure he'd remember if he did. Maybe he was just crazy or something.

"But I guess that doesn't matter. I'm Naruto Uzumaki, nice to meet ya! What's your name?" Naruto grins at him. Sasuke steps back a little, not really knowing how to respond. He's never been around someone so.. loud. They're just random strangers who just met each other in the middle of the woods, why would a name be of significance to either of them? It's not like this Naruto will remember him a week or two from now.

"Sasuke," Sasuke says carefully, choosing to omit his last name from his introduction. "Just Sasuke." To his surprise, Naruto bursts into laughter.

"Nice to meet ya, Just Sasuke!" Sasuke's lips twitch into a frown, and Naruto quickly stops laughing and tries to keep a straight face. His eyes drift to Sasuke's forehead, noticing the lack of a headband. "Say, where are you from? You can't be from the village, cause you don't have a headband. Are you a wandering nin?"

Sasuke frowns and shakes his head. This stranger was way too invasive for his liking. "Why is it any of your business? And even if it was, isn't it obvious that I don't belong to any village?"

Naruto pouts. "You're grouchy. I was just askin!" He then nervously rubs the back of his head. "Sakura and I are from Konoha, and we were on a mission before we got all lost and stuff out here.. You wouldn't happen to know how to get to the Mist village from here, would ya Sasuke?"

"No, I've never been to the mist village. You'd have more luck asking one of these trees." Sasuke rolls his eyes and leans against the nearest tree, since it doesn't look like Naruto will be shutting up anytime soon.

"You're a smartass, I admire that." Naruto flashes him a grin again. "But if you aren't from Konoha or the mist village, where are you from? You kinda came out of the middle of nowhere, and now I'm curious."

"Fine, if it'll shut you up, I'll tell you." Sasuke sighs heavily, then points south. His house can't even be seen from here, but it is pretty well hidden. "My house is that way, I live with my brother." Naruto's reaction is similar to that of a child on Christmas. Sasuke silently wonders why he's telling all of this to a complete stranger, but perhaps it's because he's never had anyone else to talk to.

"I didn't think you'd really tell me. Why do you guys live all the way out here? It's pretty quiet, not to mention boring." Naruto keeps bombarding him with questions, and for some reason Sasuke feels obligated to answer all of them. That doesn't mean he won't be stubborn though, considering he's still wary,

"Because, we've been here for a very long time. Is that sufficient enough?" Sasuke huffs.

"Well that doesn't sound very exciting.. Do you have any friends?" It isn't supposed to be offensive to him, however Sasuke feels his pride practically shattering. He doesn't have any friends, and that's something that does bother him. When Sasuke hesitates to answer, Naruto's smile fades and he places a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, causing him to flinch slightly.

"That's okay, I'll be your friend." Sasuke isn't sure why, but this sends his emotions into a whirlwind. Part of him wants to push Naruto away out of fear, yet the other part of him wants to embrace that someone (No matter how much of an idiot he may be) wants to be friends with him. It's dangerous, letting someone into his life so easily. Itachi can't know about this, and they'd have to be extremely careful. Was it really worth it?

"You can't." Sasuke says, after an awkward silence. "My brother can't know, and it would be too much of a hassle for you to come here and see me. Won't your family scold you as well?" The look on Naruto's face is pained, and he takes his hand off of Sasuke's shoulder. He assumes this is because Naruto is upset by his denial. Oh, how wrong he was.

"My family.. It's a long story. But we can be super careful." His brief moment of sadness is forgotten, and Naruto smiles at him again like nothing has happened. "I'm just like you, I don't have any friends- unless you count Sakura." Sasuke swallows nervously and instantly knows that this boy is just the sort of excitement he's wanted in his life for so long. If only this could work out.

"I won't risk it." He states even more harshly than the last time. "My brother may be gone for now, but that doesn't mean he'll be gone the next time you show up." No matter how much he tries to turn Naruto down, there's still a flicker of excitement pooling in his stomach.

"If I come while your brother's home, I'll just leave and come back later. We are ninjas, aren't we? If I can't sneak around, then I don't think I'm suited for this job. We can do this, I promise!" Naruto gives him a thumbs up. It's odd to say the least, but Sasuke finds if a little endearing. He opens his mouth to reply, but a voice begins shouting insults from beyond the trees, and it doesn't takes genius to know its Sakura.

"Naruto, you dumbass! There isn't anything out here, we'll just have to go back the way we came, c'mon!" Sasuke ducks back behind the tree, while Naruto sighs.

"I gotta go, but I'll come back. I promised, didn't I?" He spins around and begins to walk towards Sakura's direction.

"Wait. Don't you tell anyone about this, or I swear I'll skin you alive." Sasuke warns him.

"I won't, I pinky promise about that too. Bye Sasuke!" Naruto whispers, and then he's gone in a flash. Sasuke isn't sure how to process what's just happened, it all went by too fast. One minute that idiot showed up, and the next they're apparently friends. At least on his walk home, Sasuke has something to think about.

Not only had he managed to leave the house and meet someone else, he'd gained a friend. A dumb friend, but still a friend nonetheless. The sunset is beginning to arrive, so Sasuke quickens his pace and makes it back home in record time. He's relieved to see that it's empty, void of Itachi. When he gets inside, he flops down on the bed and lets out a relieved sigh.

For once, he has smoothing to be excited about.


End file.
